40 Transformative

Poems About Life

Everyone Should Know
Let’s face it. Sometimes, life can get confusing and hard. In such
times, it can be useful to turn to the wisdom of poetry. Poetry has
a way of making us feel understood — it can make us feel
empowered, hopeful, and remind us why life is worth living. So, in
this post we’ve put together a list of the 40 greatest poems about
life. From classics like Robert Frost and Rumi to the more
contemporary Rupi Kaur, you’re guaranteed to find something
that resonates with what you’re feeling.

1. "Risk", by Anaïs Nin

And then the day came,

when the risk

to remain tight

in a bud

was more painful

than the risk

it took

to blossom.

A single sentence broken up into 8 small lines, Anaïs Nin’s “Risk”

uses a flower as a metaphor, to remind us that there will come a
day when the pain of complacency will exceed the pain of actually
daring to make a change. The poem serves as an understated call
to action — make the change now, no matter how scary.
2. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening", by Robert Frost
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Reading out like a heartbeat, Frost's most famous work draws

from nature to explore the human conflict of being torn between
life’s beauty and its responsibilities. With the repetition of ‘and
miles to go before I sleep’ closing out the poem, Frost perfectly
captures the feeling of a moment we've all experienced — one
where we're weary of life and its challenges.

3. “Hope is the thing with feathers",

by Emily Dickinson
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

The evocative extended metaphor at the heart of this work has

helped to cement "Hope is a thing with feathers" as perhaps the
best-loved of Dickinson's 1,800 poems. In the last stanza,
Dickinson beautifully captures the ever-giving, selfless nature of
hope— the bird of hope sings in the harshest, most adverse times
in our lives, never asking for anything in return.

4. "The Peace of Wild Things", by

Wendell Berry
I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Written in free verse, "The Peace of Wild Things” intentionally

slips the shackles of a standard meter and rhyme scheme. The
loose structure of the poem mirrors the uncontrolled, free-flowing
beauty of nature when left to its own devices. Berry admires the
power of nature’s simplicity, reminding us that we can always turn
to ‘the grace of the '"world’ to soothe an ever-worrying,
overthinking human mind.

5. "The Summer Day", by Mary Oliver

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Reflecting on the futility of life, Oliver’s “The Summer Day” shakes

the reader by the shoulder, offering a jolt of inspiration. As
everything dies ‘at last’ and ‘too soon’, the poem encourages us
to live our one life intentionally. By asking the reader what you
plan to do with ‘your one wild and precious life’, the poem serves
as a reminder that it’s ultimately our job to fill our own lives with
meaning (whatever that might mean for each one of us!). So,
what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

6. "The Guest House", by Rumi

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

Written by the great 13th-century Persian poet, "The Guest

House" is a call for acceptance — one that is, unsurprisingly,
often invoked in mindfulness circles. Rumi uses the metaphor of a
guest house, likening it to the mind. Much like guests in a lodge,
thoughts arrive in our head one after another— some making us
happy, sad, and even uncomfortable. This poem serves as a
reminder to not resist life’s painful thoughts, but to welcome them
with warmth and good grace.

7. "from Milk and Honey", by Rupi

Kaur
what is stronger

than the human heart

which shatters over and over

and still lives

Inward-looking in style, Rupi Kaur’s collection of poems, from Milk

and Honey, centers around the theme of self-love (which is also a
form of introspection). Kaur’s poems ironically remind us that the
emotional attention and love that we crave and desire is not
something that can be sought in the outside world. Her clarion call
to prioritize one’s self and start living intentionally is one that
resonates deeply with today’s increasingly alienated generation.
8. "Sonnet 29", by William
Shakespeare
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings

"Sonnet 29" is a single sentence, divided into two: a conditional

clause and a main clause. Shakepeare first lists a series of
misfortunes that he undergoes before revealing that his suffering
is compensated for when he thinks of the person he loves. The
poem thus reminds us that even in the toughest of times, those
who we love have the power to completely change our outlook.

9. "I took my power in my hand", by

Emily Dickinson
I aimed by Pebble—but Myself

Was all the one that fell—

Was it Goliath—was too large—

Or was myself—too small

Whilst not particularly uplifting, Dickinson’s “I took my power in

my hand” brings out a harsh reality many of us struggle with —
accepting failure. The poem is populated with unorthodox
punctuation (particularly a liberal use of dashes) and mid-
sentence capitalization to emphasize the confusion and
bewilderment in the poet’s thoughts as she comes to terms with
failure.
10. "O Me! O life!", by Walt Whitman
O Me! O life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the

foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than

I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the
struggle ever renew’d,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see
around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me
intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O

me, O life?

One of Whitman’s shortest and most celebrated poems,“O Me! O

Life!” highlights the daily struggle that is life. After his early
lamentations, the poet concludes that the meaning of life lies in
life itself — that we are present, alive, and can contribute our own
verse to life. In Whitman’s case this is literally a verse, but
metaphorically this refers to whatever you bring to the table.

11. "Life Doesn’t Frighten Me", by

Maya Angelou
Shadows on the wall

Noises down the hall

Life doesn't frighten me at all

Bad dogs barking loud

Big ghosts in a cloud

Life doesn't frighten me at all

If you’re looking for a little courage, “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” is

the poem to turn to. Angelou takes us into the mind of a child who
lists an elaborate array of things that seemingly don’t frighten her
— ‘shadows’, ‘big ghosts’ or even ‘tough guys’. The refrain
‘frighten me at all’, is repeated ten times throughout the poem.
This repetition causes one to question the speaker’s honesty — is
the child really not frightened? Or is this repetition simply a way to
make her feel braver? Whether the child is truly unafraid or not,
this poem perfectly encapsulates the concept of facing your fears
with a smile.

12. "A Psalm of Life", by Henry

Wadsworth Longfellow
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

On reading “A Psalm of Life” , you might just feel an instant urge

to live your best life. The poem rejects the idea that life can be
broken down into meaningless, emotionless metrics. It advocates
that life is neither made to suffer through, nor is it made to solely
enjoy. While both these emotions are a part of the journey, the
purpose of life is ‘to act’, improve oneself, and make each day
better than the previous one.

13. "Do not go gentle into that good

night", by Dylan Thomas
And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

One of the most famous villanelles (a 19-line poem with a fixed

form and rhyme scheme) written in English, Dylan Thomas’ “Do
not go gentle into that good night” is a poem not about life, but
about death. While the poet acknowledges the inevitability of
death, he uses this to highlight that life is precious and worth
fighting for. Written as a dedication to his late father, the poem
feels deeply personal and vulnerable —not just as a poet’s advice
to the world, but as a son’s advice to his father.

14. "Desiderata", by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace
there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all

persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,

even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

The didactic tone of “Desiderata” stems from the fact that it is a

poem Max Ehrmann wrote to his daughter as a manifesto to living
a happy life. In Latin, desiderata means ‘things that are desired’.
The poet lays out the ground rules he believes one must live by to
have an authentic, virtuous life. The protective nature of
Ehrmann’s advice to his daughter has resonated with millions,
resulting in the poem being regarded as a manual to a life well-
lived.

15. "Leisure", by W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

In a world increasingly ‘busy’ chasing material goals, “Leisure”

reminds us to make time for the mind and soul. The poem begins
with an irony-filled rhetorical question, where W.H Davies takes a
jab at modernity and explains how it has robbed us of the simple
things in life (such as to ‘stand’ in and ‘stare’ at nature). Davies’
belief in nature’s powers is evident, and he insists that we take
some time to admire it and replenish our soul. So, if you’ve been
overdoing it at work, “Leisure” is just the reminder you need to
take a step back and stare!

16. "Opportunity," by Berton Braley

With doubt and dismay you are smitten

You think there's no chance for you, son?

Why, the best books haven't been written

The best race hasn't been run,

The best score hasn't been made yet,

The best song hasn't been sung,

The best tune hasn't been played yet,

Cheer up, for the world is young!

When feeling doubtful, ‘cheer up’, and let Braley’s words motivate
you into action! The narrator addresses the poem to his ‘son’,
adding a caring, reassuring tone to his speech. The poem
celebrates the abundance of life, mentioning the vast sea of
opportunities that we can capitalize on — to write the best books,
sing the best songs, etc. It reiterates that opportunities are
plentiful (and there’s enough for everyone).
17. "The Builders", by Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow
All are architects of Fate,

Working in these walls of Time;

Some with massive deeds and great,

Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Considering Longfellow’s long career as an educator, the

optimistic nature of “The Builders” comes as no surprise. By
calling everyone ‘an architect of Fate’, working in the ‘walls of
Time’, he conveys that all humans have a meaningful impact on
the world. Be it with ‘massive deeds’ or ‘ornaments of rhyme’,
each and every person has a role to play.

18. "Life", by Charlotte Brontë

Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,

But these are transient all;

If the shower will make the roses bloom,

O why lament its fall?

A simple message resides at the core of Brontë’s “Life” — to live

with a fearless outlook. Brontë wishes to dismiss the glorified idea
that life is dark or unpleasant. She highlights the transient nature
of the gloomy aspects of life, reminding us that they eventually
clear and are replaced by something pleasant (like blooming roses
after rain). So why dread the rain?

19. "Full Life", by D. H. Lawrence

A man can’t fully live unless he dies and ceases to care,

ceases to care.
An extremely short poem, D.H Lawrence’s “Full Life” can be
entirely quoted in two sentences. While Lawrence may be
advocating a nonchalant, unbothered approach to life (as clearly
reflected in the poem’s length), the paradoxical nature of the
poem’s very existence often leaves readers wondering what the
poet really means.

20. "What Is This Life", by Sir Walter

Raleigh
What is our life? The play of passion

Our mirth? The music of division:

Our mothers’ wombs the tiring-houses be,

Where we are dressed for life’s short comedy.

A somber contemplation on life’s brevity, “What is This Life” likens

life to a play — specifically, a ‘short comedy’. The rhyme scheme
of the poem (aa bb cc dd ee) is short and simple, reflecting the
monotony and shortness of life. Further, the predictable nature of
the repeating couplets highlights that life always comes to the
same end — death. The poem serves as a matter-of-fact reminder
that life is meaningless, short, and therefore not to be taken too
seriously.

21. "Each Life Converges to some

Centre", by Emily Dickinson
Each Life Converges to some Centre –

Expressed – or still –

Exists in every Human Nature

A Goal –
Aligned with Emily Dickinson’s quest for universal truth, this poem
considers the purpose of human existence. It says that all of
humanity, whether consciously or unconsciously, strives towards
an end goal. Dickinson then alternates between saying that this
goal is achievable and that it isn’t, mirroring the uncertain manner
in which we aim to reach a goal of which we have no proof. This
complex, philosophical poem will definitely leave you questioning
life!

22. "Stream of life", by Rabindranath

Tagore
The same stream of life that runs

through my veins night and day runs

through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy

through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and

breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

A celebration of the universe’s connectedness, “Stream of life”

reflects Tagore’s world view that humans create their own
segregation. The rhythm and flow of the poem, along with lively
descriptions of the stream of life like ‘dancing in rhythmic
measures’, or ‘shooting with joy’ will uplift your mood instantly.
The poem leaves us with an innate sense of belonging to the
world we live in. Seen from Tagore’s lens, isn’t this an incredible
world to be part of?

23. "Still I Rise", by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Angelous’s “Still I rise” boldly celebrates the power of the human

spirit, and highlights the importance of not being defeated by the
obstacles life throws at you. Angelou specifically refers to the
discrimination faced by African-Americans. The lesson? Life might
pin you down, write you off, or have you up against the wall. Still
you rise!

24. "Life Is a Privilege", by Ella

Wheeler Wilcox
Life is a privilege. Its youthful days

Shine with the radiance of continuous Mays.

To live, to breathe, to wonder and desire,

To feed with dreams the heart's perpetual fire;

The nostalgic tone of “Life is a Privilege'' makes one feel blessed

to have the opportunity to live. Wilcox artfully describes all of
life’s blessings (from the sun’s rays to the chance to chase our
dreams). Serving as a bitter-sweet reminder of how short life is,
the poem encourages the reader to leave no room for regret, and
live out their heart's desires.

25. "Lines on a Skull", by Ravi

Shankar
life’s little, our heads

sad. Redeemed and wasting clay

this chance. Be of use.

“Lines On a Skull” is a wake up call to be intentional with life. The
poet compares life to clay, stating that every day we have a
chance to either waste it, or create something meaningful. The
poet urges us to use our heads and make our lives useful. Rather
sound advice, isn’t it?

26. “The Room of My Life”, by Anne

Sexton
Here,

in the room of my life

the objects keep changing.

Ashtrays to cry into,

the suffering brother of the wood walls,

the forty-eight keys of the typewriter

each an eyeball that is never shut,

Sexton’s “The Room of my Life” describes household objects in

unconventional ways. The poet strikingly describes ashtrays,
typewriters, etc for purposes that are out of their ordinary use —
an ashtray being used to catch tears, etc.These objects highlight
Sexton's pain and despair, showing life from a different
perspective.

27. "A Question", by Robert Frost

A voice said, Look me in the stars

And tell me truly, men of earth,

If all the soul-and-body scars

Were not too much to pay for birth.

Frost’s “A Question”, consisting of merely 4 powerful lines, will hit
you like an emotional shot. The poet questions whether the gift of
life is worth the pain and suffering humans go through. True to the
nature of the title, Frost ends the poem with the question itself—
perhaps reflecting his inability to arrive at an answer (or the lack
of a definite answer at all).

28. "Life", by Sarojini Naidu

Till ye have battled with great grief and fears,

And borne the conflict of dream-shattering years,

Wounded with fierce desire and worn with strife,

Children, ye have not lived: for this is life.

Addressed directly to children, this poem serves as a warning

about life’s inevitable hardships. The poem states that children
haven’t yet experienced the harsh realities of life (e.g., battled
with great grief and fears, etc). While acknowledging the
sufferings of life, this sonnet isn’t meant to demoralize, but
instead to prepare children to face life.

29. "Each Moment Is Precious", by Pat

A. Fleming
And the person you’re with,

In that moment you share,

Give them all of your focus;

Be totally there.

Written from the second person perspective, “Each Moment Is

Precious” directly addresses the reader as ‘you’. This laces the
poem with a sense of intimacy, making it feel like heartfelt advice
by someone elderly and wise. Fleming beautifully reminds us to
live in the present and savor every moment, as there are only a
precious few.

30. "My Inner Life", by Robert William

Service
For I've a hidden life no one

Can ever hope to see;

A sacred sanctuary none

May share with me.

“My Inner Life” celebrates the relationship we have with

ourselves. The poem presents a narrator who seems to be
misunderstood and alone. However, he then reveals that his
‘hidden life’ is precious, something he wouldn’t trade for the
world. This poem reassuringly encourages us to be true to
ourselves, regardless of what others may think.

31. "Life is Fine", by Langston Hughes

So since I’m still here livin’,

I guess I will live on.

I could’ve died for love—

But for livin’ I was born

The spirited “Life is Fine” highlights the theme of perseverance.

Structurally similar to a blues song, it tells the story of a man who
often considers suicide but never goes through with it. Towards
the end of the poem, after several close encounters with death,
the man realizes that he has something to live for. The honest,
vulnerable tone of the poem resonates with many, encouraging us
to keep going — even when we feel like giving up.
32. "Futility", by Wilfred Owen
Was it for this the clay grew tall?

—O what made fatuous sunbeams toil

To break earth's sleep at all?

Owen’s “Futility” questions how something as beautiful as life

always loses to death. A combination of slant and perfect rhymes,
the poem’s rhyme scheme reflects the uncertainty of soldiers'
lives during the Great war. While the speaker does possess an
admiration for life, he gradually begins to question its futile
nature. This duality leaves the reader in two moods, savoring life
but also questioning its meaning at the same time.

33. "Suppose", by E.E. Cummings

suppose

Life is an old man carrying flowers on his head.

young death sits in a café

smiling,a piece of money held between

his thumb and first finger

In “Suppose”, life and death are personified. The old man carrying
flowers on his head might refer to a fear-led life. The man wants
someone to buy his flowers, but is also scared for the moment
when someone will take them away. Money in hand, Death would
like to buy the flowers. Cumming brings out the fact that death
will inevitably take everything from life, but his striking use of this
metaphor evokes in us an urge to not waste ours in the first place.
34. "Ode To A Nightingale", by John
Keats
Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget

What thou among the leaves hast never known,

The weariness, the fever, and the fret

Here, where men sit and hear each other groan

In an “Ode To a Nightingale”, Keats suggests that human

consciousness itself is suffering. The singing nightingale has
‘never known’ these troubles, and represents freedom from the
anxious, lonely human mind. The speaker later admits that while
death would end his suffering, he would then be unable to enjoy
the beauty of the nightingale’s song. So, the poem argues both for
and against human consciousness, with no final stance on the
matter.

35. "If", by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

Despite being 32 lines long, “If” is a single continuous sentence!

The poem comprises many clauses beginning with ‘if you can’,
each clause laying out a condition that the speaker believes the
reader should fulfill to live a successful life. Widely considered as
Kipling’s advice to his own son, “If” is a guide to living an ideal
and worthwhile life.

36. "Dockery and Son", by Philip

Larkin
Unhindered moon. To have no son, no wife,

No house or land still seemed quite natural.

Only a numbness registered the shock

Of finding out how much had gone of life,

Larkin’s “Dockery and Son” considers the fleeting nature of time.

Candid and emotional, the poem captures the shock that the
narrator faces after learning that one of his university juniors has
a child (who now goes to the same university they used to
attend). By repeating the ‘no’ in the 4th stanza, Larkin
emphasizes the emptiness and regret he feels when he realizes
‘how much had gone of life’. This poem brings out a classic lesson
— time shall pass, and waits for no one.

37. "My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is", by

Sir Edward Dyer
My mind to me a kingdom is;

Such present joys therein I find,

That it excels all other bliss

That earth affords or grows by kind:

“My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is”, dating back to the Renaissance,

declares that one’s mind is the most powerful source of one’s
happiness. The poet metaphorically compares his mind to a
kingdom, one where he reigns with a blissful state of control.
Rather than constantly seeking pleasure elsewhere like several
others, he reveals a refreshing sense of being content in
possession of his most powerful tool, a peaceful mind.

38. "A Quoi Bon Dire", by Charlotte

Mew
And one fine morning in a sunny lane

Some boy and girl will meet and kiss and swear

That nobody can love their way again

While over there

You will have smiled, I shall have tossed your hair.

In the first two stanzas of “A Quoi Bon Dire”, poet Charlotte Mew
introduces a curious protagonist — one who does not despair at
the loss of a soulmate; who doesn’t fret at the passing of the
years. For indeed, the question of a quoi bon dire (or, ‘what’s the
point?’) is answered in the closing lines that you see above — a
sentiment that the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas would echo many
decades later: “Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death
shall have no dominion.”

39. "My Heart Leaps Up", by William

Wordsworth
My heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began;

So is it now I am a man;

So be it when I shall grow old,

Or let me die!

Wordsworth’s "My Heart Leaps Up" emphasizes the importance of

retaining a child-like sense of enthusiasm throughout life. The
poem begins by the speaker stating the joy he feels on seeing a
rainbow, the very same delight he first felt when he saw it as a
child. The poem argues that adults should not let this child-like
sense of awe and appreciation for nature die out, as it is what
makes life worth livin